Program Website: Sport Management – Hiram College
Students in sport management will have the opportunity to combine their love of sport with their passion for business.
Students will learn about the financial, managerial, sociological, historical, and legal and ethical aspects of sport management and then apply this learning in the front office or on the field during their internship experiences. Close connections with Hiram College athletics allow our students to begin developing their professional skills on campus, while our positioning in Northeast Ohio provides ample opportunities to further hone these skills with off-campus internships in professional, semi-professional, Division 1 collegiate, high school, and middle school athletics, in addition to local running events, sport and exercise facilities, and parks and recreation departments.
Through our interdisciplinary curriculum, students will advance their skills in areas highly valued by employers — including integrative problem-solving, self-awareness and management, and both written and oral communication — leaving them primed for success in the rapidly growing sport industry upon graduation.
Faculty
Jeffrey Curto, (2022) Assistant Professor of Sport Management
B.G.S., University of Michigan;
M.S., Eastern Michigan University;
Ph.D., Troy University
curtojj@hiram.edu
Joanna Line, (2022) Assistant Professor of Sport Management
B.A., Oberlin College;
M.S., Smith College;
Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
linejm@hiram.edu
David M Strukel, (2016) Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship; Director of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation Center for Integrated Entrepreneurship
B.A., Bowling Green State University;
M.Ed., Kent State University;
Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
strukeldm@hiram.edu
Andrew C White, (2017) Director of the Scarborough School of Business & Communication; Associate Professor of Psychology and Sport Management; Director and Chair of Sport Management
B.A., Ohio Wesleyan University;
M.A., University of Windsor;
Ph.D., University of Minnesota
whiteac@hiram.edu
Course Descriptions
INTRODUCTION TO SPORT MANAGEMENT ~ This course serves as an introduction to the field of sport management, offering a diversity of information pertaining to essential topics in the field of sport administration, including management and marketing principles, amateur and professional sport industry, international sport, facility and event management, sport broadcasting, and career preparation.
FACILITY AND EVENT MANAGEMENT IN SPORT ~ Principles and techniques of planning, operating and managing sport facilities and events. This course will emphasize the principles and concepts of organization and administration including communication, personnel management, management of physical resources, and risk management. This course will examine a variety of sport operations such as indoor stadiums, athletic field complexes, and managing recreation and intramural activities.
CAREERS IN SPORT MANAGEMENT ~ This course will provide students with information and skills to prepare them for careers in sport management or other related fields by using a guided approach to individual skills discovery and career exploration. Students will develop an academic plan to provide a strong base in the breadth and depth of the field, as well as in their liberal arts coursework, and learn to market their Hiram College experience for their future career plans. Coursework includes participation in class discussions, giving presentations, conducting informational interviews, developing a résumé, and completing other written assignments.
Prerequisite: SPMT 10100
PRINCIPLES OF COACHING AND LEADERSHIP ~ This course is designed for those students preparing to enter a coaching career or be involved in the management and organization of an athletic program. Students will learn guidelines and principles for organizing a successful athletic program. Topics include, but are not limited to developing a coaching philosophy, evaluating theories in motivation, understanding team dynamics, communicating effectively, and improving player performance. This course will also emphasize an awareness of the demands of the coaching profession and explore issues and ethical considerations significant to coaching.
THE MEANING OF MOVEMENT:IM ~ Grounded in experiences of several forms of physical activity, students in this course will explore ways of understanding and expressing the meaning of engaging in movement. Students critically reflect on different reasons for engaging in movement, the impact of social environment on experiences of movement, and ways of understanding experiences of movement through a variety of mediums ranging from poetry to drawing to reading empirical research.
Core: Interpretive Methods
SEMINAR ~
INDEPENDENT STUDY ~ Open to all sport management majors with the consent of the instructor. It affords sport management majors the opportunity to design their own course of study in an area that is not currently taught. The independent study normally requires the students to write a research paper.
FIELD EXPERIENCE ~
HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SPORT IN THE U.S. ~ This course covers the history of sport and physical activity in the United States (1776–present) to understand the field in a broader context. Students will learn how past events and issues influence current beliefs and behaviors as well as common themes permeating throughout sport history (e.g., social and political activism). The philosophy unit of the course will cover philosophical approaches to the practice of physical activity. Students will learn how one’s philosophy guides thoughts, emotions, and behaviors about relevant issues such as physical activity lifestyles and career choices.
SPORT IN A DIVERSE SOCIETY:UD ~ Sports are an integral part of social life in the U.S. with millions of people growing up playing sports and/or spending countless hours watching them. In many ways, the world of sports is an arena through which we can understand more about our society’s dynamics, values, and problems. This three-week course explores the intersections between sport and topics such as race, ethnicity, gender, social class, sexuality, and physical ability. Students will examine population subgroups in their historical context and how those groups have evolved over the years and how they have fared in society. The course will examine these groups from a sociological and legislative standpoint.
Core: Understanding Diversity Home
LEGAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS OF SPORT:ES ~ This course provides an extensive overview of legal principles and ethical issues in sport. The different fields of law and issues (Federal Amendment, torts, contracts, labor relations) as they relate to sport will also be introduced. In addition, the basic philosophical issues concerning ethics and moral reasoning and how these issues relate to sport will be examined. Furthermore, this course is designed to help future sport administrators develop an ethical decision-making process. Potential topics may include concepts of morality, personal philosophy regarding social responsibility, theories of ethics, professional code of ethics, etc. Course restricted to sophomore level and above.
Prerequisite: SPMT 10100
Core: Meaning/Ethics/Soc Responsibil
SEMINAR ~ Includes various topics or upper-level specialty courses.
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN SPORT ~ This course is designed to provide students with an overview of significant issues surrounding the world of sport in today’s society. This course is designed to enhance student’s comprehension of sport, its place on society, and possible changes it may need in order to maintain a positive future. Arguments for and against the inclusion of sport in our social institutions will be made. Relevant legal issues will also be addressed.
SENIOR SEMINAR ~ This course is the second piece of the capstone experience for the sport management major, and will provide students with the necessary information to integrate their specific area of concentration and internship or research experience into a portfolio and oral presentation as the culmination of the sport management program. The purpose of this course is to allow students to demonstrate achievement in competency areas and to engage in self-reflection and self-evaluation.
Prerequisite: SPMT 48100 (may be taken concurrently) or SPMT 49800 (may be taken concurrently)
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ~ The course is open to sport management majors with junior standing or above with the consent of the department. This affords junior and senior sport management majors the opportunity to design their own course of study in an area that is not currently taught. The independent research course would normally require the student to write a research paper.
INTERNSHIP ~ For a complete description of this program students should consult with a member of the sport management faculty.
APPLIED SPORT MANAGEMENT SKILLS ~ Through this course, students will engage an in-depth analysis of the relationship of sport and management. The study of sport includes sporting goods manufacturers; fitness centers; recreation departments; broadcasting; Little League teams; and high school, NCAA, and professional leagues. The study of management follows the four functions of management: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Students also will apply and deepen their knowledge on these topics through engaging in a community-based project with classmates and a nonprofit community sport organization.
STRATEGIC SPORT MARKETING ~ This course serves as a broad overview of marketing in the world of sports. Several marketing concepts from the undergraduate level will be emphasized further, such as the marketing mix, consumer behavior, advertising, and target segments. Further analysis of theories related to the concept of sport marketing will be explored. Strategic marketing and the importance of developing an effective marketing research paper will be emphasized.
SEM:
ADVANCED COACHING AND LEADERSHIP ~ This course is designed for those students preparing to enter a coaching career or be involved in the management and organization of an athletic program. Students will learn guidelines and principles for organizing a successful athletic program. Topics include, but are not limited to developing a coaching philosophy, evaluating theories in motivation, understanding team dynamics, communicating effectively, and improving player performance. This course will also emphasize an awareness of the demands of the coaching profession and explore issues and ethical considerations significant to coaching.